Meritorious community

In recent years we constantly see, in whatsapp statuses, facebook posts, instagram and other social networks, images and expressions where many people proudly show their own successes or that of a family member. These "successes" range from arranging a room, winning a contest at a children's party, to obtaining a diploma or university degree, as well as opening a business or getting a job ...

Imagine, then, the immense pride that all members of the Network of Rural Libraries feel when they see the just recognition that our brother Alfredo Mires Ortiz has received from the Ministry of Culture, because, as he says, it is recognition for all the communities that are part of this organization, of this family.

Therefore, for us, being close to someone recognized as “Meritorious Person of Culture” is not only a source of pride, but also another reason to remain committed to this constant struggle in which we learn from our brother every day. Alfredo and everything he knows and shares about life, wisdom and the depths of community, our Peruvian history and culture and the entire world.

And this collective pride is due to Alfredo not only being a research anthropologist, but also because he is a brother, a companion that encourages us to continue, to move forward, to read, to learn and to unlearn. He encourages us with his songs, with his stories, with his poetry, with his drawings ... also with his jokes.

Now, with times being difficult with so many social networks and with so much television, people read less and have more vices, they publish and celebrate anything and not what is really deserving to celebrate, this recognition for Alfredo is a good sign for us. It is hope and encouragement.

Some brothers and sisters say it well in volume 22 of the Peasant Encyclopedia, "The Why of the When," from our series "We the Cajamarcans":

When you hear a little bird sing, it's because your day will be nice.

When many hummingbirds meet, it's because it will be a good year.

When we chew coca leaves and the coca sweetens us, we are doing well.

Thank you Alfredo for your work that predicts good times, thanks for those good signs that keep us believing.

Flower of the books

Recently, a friend of ours asked us, on behalf of a sister of her, if she could send us some books in donation: we said yes, with pleasure.

We asked his full name to send him a letter with our gratitude and in his name he told us that it was not necessary, that just knowing that books were going to help with reading animation was enough.

And he sent us the books from Lima: inside the box was a note saying:

“The best thing about books is to share them…

I hope more people can read.

Flor".

Thank you, Flor: books are like seeds.

Reading Sanctuaries

We recently received this note from Mrs. Yolanda Angélica Ortiz Zorrilla, who is an indefatigable reader and has also participated as a volunteer, on several occasions, with us:

"I'm currently reading the book 'Primordial Sanctuaries: Rock Art in Cajamarca, Peru' and I want to tell you how much it fascinates me and how it moves me to delve into its pages.

There is so much information, and so finely ordered, so felt, that it cannot be read only as a history document, but as testimony of our ancestors.

I'm brought back to those times and I am filled with affection for those grandparents of ours: how I would like to be there, even to give them water while they painted or carved the stones! How I would have liked to help them by fetching their brushes or mixing their colours, marveling at their stories, learning with them ...

Thank you for this extraordinary book.

Thanks to all of you, to your families and communities.

With a hug,

Yolanda".

A live way to learn

Belonging to the Rural Libraries family has made me understand that life is full of experiences, experiences that help me grow as a person and also my development as a professional.

Being a volunteer makes me feel useful; getting involved in these activities makes me feel good.

I am really grateful and happy to be given this opportunity to be part of the Network, because I continue to learn from work in community, to value and respect our heritage, our nature, to love my culture more.

Through the books that have always accompanied me, I have been able to strengthen my knowledge and improve my abilities for understanding my studies.

I feel very happy for this lively welcome.

Zelma Gálvez, Volunteer

Learning with enthusiasm

By mid-January, the Community Program had invited for the first training this year.

The focus of this meeting was the learning of children with projectable abilities and we dealt with topics such as attention, concentration and memory, reading for others, learning processes in reading-writing and mathematics.

All of these are very important contents for working with children with “disabilities”. We know that teachers and parents have to apply more practical methodologies to approach these difficult subjects to the context of each child.

Here, in the Network of Rural Libraries, we learned fun techniques, very enjoyable games and various processes that can alleviate these difficult learnings.

Together, everything is more fun.

Cultural heritage

A full house met on 13th January in the old municipal building of Cajamarca to hear four exponents talk about our cultural heritage.

Our brother and advisor of our Network, Alfredo Mires, was invited to give the opening speech.

Alfredo spoke of the importance of recognizing and honoring the true essence of our cultural heritage (Patrimonio) ("Marriage  (Matrimonio) could be a better term, but that was already taken with another connotation!").

"Looking at a hill as if it were just a pile of stones, is like looking at a man as if it were just a pile of bones," Alfredo reminded us.

He talked about his decades-long study with the Apu Qayaqpuma and the thousands of year old rock art of our ancestors. This work is beautifully displayed in the recent publication of "Primordial Sanctuaries" (Sanctuarios Primordiales), which details the rock art of the Cajamarca region.

Many thanks to the Apu Cultural Association and the organizers, the speakers and all who attended and participated in this event.

Back home

Zelma Gálvez is the daughter of Lino Gálvez Blanco, Rural Librarian and Coordinator of the Library Network in Bambamarca. She grew up with books, became a librarian at age 12 and at age 14 she began volunteering at the headquarters of the Network, demonstrating commitment and dedication.

Today, Zelma is now going into the IX cycle of the Faculty of Sociology at the National University of Cajamarca; In all this time, despite her study schedule, she has always been pending to support the activities of the Network: today we celebrate her return home. Her presence and her achievements encourage us and once again her support in this path will be enormous.

Welcome, Zelma, to your community!

Constant and silent

Some people perform important and daily work in silence. Among them are many teachers who not only take care of many children every day, for long hours, but also try to train them, to encourage them grow and be knowledgeable. They are undoubtedly the people who - during the first years of life - spend a lot of time with our children. That's why we always want our children to have the best teachers.

However, today, many parents do not want their children to study to be teachers. Engineering, law and medicine are the careers that many parents propose - or force - to study their children, because that gives income and prestige.

In Rural Libraries we are always recognizing the value of education, at different levels. And our volunteers are eternally recognized for the lessons they acquire here.

Lola Paredes Saldaña has been a volunteer for the Network for over 20 years. In the morning she is a teacher at a recognized educational institution in Cajamarca. Lola, without making any fuss, uses reading, uses our books, transmits ancestral wisdom, recognizes the value of the ancients and promotes literary knowledge with the pupils and students of her educational centre.

Equally silent, Lola received recognition at the end of last year. Laureola de Oro for her career as a teacher at the UGEL (Local Educational Management Unit), Cajamarca.

Lola mentioned it to us in passing: Maybe that's why we delay in noticing that award.

We are proud of you, Lola. You are an example, a light, a guide in these imprecise times. Our sincere congratulations! And a big hug from our entire team.